Hispanic Americans need culturally tailored heart care

DALLAS, July 14, 2014 –
A first-time comprehensive overview of cardiovascular disease in Hispanics in
the U.S. outlines the burden of heart disease and stroke as well
as emphasizes the importance of culturally appropriate healthcare for this
population.

The American Heart
Association scientific statement is published in the Association’s journal Circulation.

Hispanics represent the
fastest-growing racial or ethnic population in the United States and are
expected to constitute 30 percent of the total U.S. population by the year
2050. Yet, there is no comprehensive document about the cultural values and
behavioral aspects that influence cardiovascular health promotion, prevention,
and acceptance of treatment recommendations among Hispanics.

“This segment of the
population has been somewhat ignored,” said Carlos Rodriguez, M.D., M.P.H.,
lead statement author and chair of the writing group and an associate professor
of medicine and epidemiology at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in
Winston-Salem, N.C. “Given the large Hispanic population in the U.S., it would
be very hard to improve the health of the nation if this population is left
behind.”

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